Melbourne Victory have been blocked from promoting tickets to house video games, which means solely paid-up membership members will probably be allowed into the bottom.
That’s the first factor of the penalty imposed by Soccer Australia, which went additional in punishing the membership for Saturday’s violent pitch invasion by additionally banning followers from attending away fixtures.
Victory got a present trigger discover after 150 spectators stormed the AAMI Park pitch in Saturday evening’s A-League Males contest towards Melbourne Metropolis, forcing the abandonment of the match.
Metropolis goalkeeper Tom Glover suffered a concussion and facial laceration when he was hit with a steel bucket wielded by a pitch invader whereas referee Alex King, a TV cameraman and two safety guards have been additionally injured within the melee.
Soccer Australia is but to totally decide remaining sanctions because it has not accomplished the present trigger course of, however has put momentary measures in place till January 15.
Locked out
Throughout that point, Victory followers are barred from attending their away males’s Boxing Day conflict with Western United at AAMI Park.
Solely United members and followers who had purchased a ticket earlier than 11am Friday can attend, with different tickets to be refunded and any associated ticket operator prices are at Victory’s expense.
Victoria Police earlier confirmed plans embody “a extremely seen police presence” on the sport.
Victory followers additionally can’t attend away males’s video games towards Central Coast on New Yr’s Eve or Adelaide United on January 14, with away bays to be closed.
Tickets related to a Victorian postcode or believed to be for Victory followers will probably be refunded.
Solely Victory members are capable of attend their January 6 double-header, the place the boys play Brisbane Roar and the ladies play Perth Glory, with different tickets refunded.
Victory girls host Canberra United on December 31 and play Metropolis away on January 14. The membership’s house and away lively areas have been closed.
Melbourne Metropolis’s house and away lively bays may even be cordoned off at house video games till in any other case suggested because the FA critiques Metropolis supporters’ derby conduct.
The sport’s governing physique will use the present trigger course of to think about “additional sporting and monetary sanctions”, which may embody factors deductions and fines, for Victory.
Victoria Police confirmed 29 folks had been arrested over the pitch invasion, with 24 – together with 11 males aged between 18 and 38 handled on Friday – up to now dealing with prices.
A total of 36 people have up to now been recognized by the police.
The FA has additionally handed out bans stopping the pitch invaders from attending or taking part in soccer.
Two pitch invaders on Tuesday obtained life bans, whereas on Thursday one other eight folks have been slapped with bans of between 5 and 20 years.
About $150,000 value of injury was precipitated to AAMI Park throughout the pitch invasion and about 80 flares or fireworks have been set off, police say.
-AAP
